• We commit ourselves to nurture, protect and safeguard all our members, particularly children, young people and vulnerable adults.
• We recognise that safeguarding is the responsibility of the whole church community.
• We undertake to exercise proper care in the selection, appointment, training and support of those working in both paid and voluntary positions with children or vulnerable adults, including the use of Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) disclosures and making appropriate referrals to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
• We will respond without delay to concerns or allegations that a child or vulnerable adult may have been harmed, cooperating with the police and social care services in any investigation.
• We will challenge any abuse of power by anyone in a position of trust.
• We will seek to offer pastoral care and support to anyone who has suffered abuse, developing with them an appropriate pastoral support.
• We will seek to offer pastoral care and support, including supervision and referral to the proper authorities, to any member of our church community known to have offended against a child, young person or vulnerable adult.
We have appointed Claire Clarke and Tom Jordan as our Church Safeguarding Officers (CSO), and David Pearmain (Children), Michelle Jordan (Children) and Chris Kettel (Youth) as our Children’s Champions. Myra Fulford and Henny Pearmain are our Adults at Risk Champions.
Copies of ‘Safeguarding in the Diocese of London’ and any parish guidelines and procedures are held at the Church Offices, St Paul's Church, Bath Road, TW3 3DA.
The PCC shall review this policy annually. The next review will take place at the first PCC meeting following the APCM in April 2019.
